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SSERT 

ON 

CHAD 


ATION 

NEZZAR’S 


DREAM: 


SHOWING THAT THE KINGDOM SPOKEN OF BY DANIEL THE 
PROPHET WAS NOT SET UP IN THE DAYS OF THE 
APOSTLES ; AND THE ORDER OF THE KING¬ 
DOM SET UP THEN EXPLAINED. 


ALSO : 


THE RISE AND FAITH OF THE MOST NOTABLE ORTHODOX 
SOCIETIES OF THE PRESENT DAY, 

TOGETHER- WITH 

A SYNOPSIS OF THE ORIGIN AND FAITH OF THE CHURCH OF 
LATTER-DAY SAINTS,” COMPARING TJ1EIR FAITH 
WITH THE FAITH OF OTHER SOCIETIES. 

BY 

W. I. APPLEBY, MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 



PRINTED BY BROWN, BICKING & GUILBERT, 

NO. 56 N. THIRD STREET, 4TH DOOR NORTH OF ARCH ST,, PHILADELPHIA. 









TO THE READER. 


Having been frequently solicited, by several of my friends, to publish, in 
pamphlet form : “ A Dissertation on Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, and the 
Kingdom spoken of by Daniel, and the order of the Kingdom of God set 
up in the days of the Apostles ; also, a Brief View of the Rise and Faith of 
the most popular Orthodox Societies of the present day; together with the 
Origin and Faith of the Church commonly called “Mormons,” and after ma¬ 
ture reflection I have come to the conclusion to undertake and perform the 
task; and I hereby present the same to the candid and impartial reader 
to investigate and peruse the following pages, and to make allowances for all 
incorrect phraseology and ungrammatical composition, as it is not my object 
to “ tickle the car” or “ please the fancy,” but to search after eternal truth, 
and lay the same before my fellow-men; that if they have embraced or be¬ 
lieve erroneous doctrines, they may throw them aside, and embrace truth, (if 
I should succeed in laying it before them according to the scriptures) which 
will conduce to their happiness here, and also in eternity. With these re¬ 
marks, I submit the same to a discerning and impartial public. 

The Author. 

Recklesstown, Burlington Co., N. J., 

August 6, A. D. 1844. 


DISSERTATION 

ON NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM. 

“ And in the days of these Kings , shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom 
which shall never he destroyed; and the Kingdom shall never he left to other 
people, hut it shall break in pieces,and consume all these Kingdoms and it 
shall stand forever." — Dan. ii. 44. 

Various and many are the opinion^ and conjectures of theologians, who 
have wrote, commented, and expressed their sentiments in days that are past 
and gone, and also of the present day, concerning Nebuchadnezzar’s dream 
as recorded in the second chapter of the Book of Daniel; and ot the King¬ 
dom spoken of by the Prophet, in the forty-fourth verse of the same chapter, 
which I have selected for a text. But however much they have varied, in 
tracing up the rise and fall of the different Empires, and Kingdoms, they 
have universally ariived at the same conclusion, that is, the Kingdom referred 
to by Daniel was set up in the days of Christ, and his Apostles, 



A DISSERTATION ON NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S DREAM. 3 

But I shall endeavour to prove from history and holy writ, that such was 
not the case, Daniel says expressly, that God had made known to the King 1 , 
“ What should be in the Latter Days," (v. 28) And let it be distinctly under¬ 
stood that when the Prophets or Apostles spoke of “ These Last Days" 
“ These last times" they had direct reference to the time in which they were 
then living: but when they spoke of a future period, they expressed it, by 
“ The last days,” “The latter days" & c., see Jer. xxx. 24, Micah iv. 44. 
It is by taking the scriptures in their most literal sense, and making a right 
application of them, assisted by the spirit of truth, that we shall ever be 
able to understand or comprehend their literal meaning. Some people are so 
overwise that where it is recorded “ thus saith the Lord &e., say they it 
does not mean that, it means something else. Hence the discords of the 
present religious world. But if all would take the admonition of the Apos¬ 
tles, all religious animosities and jealousies would cease, and every where, 
each would meet a brother and a friend ; Paul says, “whatever was written 
aforetime was written for our learning,”—hope, &c., and how can we learn 
of a thing we cannot understand? or how can we hope except we know 
what to hope for ? For my own part I prefer Peter’s mode of interpreting 
scripture, so far preferable to all others that I here insert it. “ Knowing 
this first, that no 'prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation ; 
for the prophecy came net in the old lime by the will of man , but holy men of 
God, spake as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost" II Ep. Peter, i. 20, 
21. Here is the rule of the inspired Apostle, how true and simple it is. 
The*scriptures themselves being the best interpreter, for we perceive all the 
Prophecies that have had a fulfilment, have been fulfilled to the very letter 
according to the most literal meaning of words and sentences. When the 
Lord told Noah to build an ark, he did not understand him to have refer¬ 
ence to a wagon, or Moses to go down into Egypt, he did not understand 
he should go to Jericho, or Lot when he was warned to flee from Sodom 
into the mountains; suppose he had been as wise as some of the commen¬ 
tators of the present day ; he would have answered Lord, I am safe 
enough, and secure here, for into means “ near by," “ close to," “ round about," 
and if this is the true definition I am not afraid, but Noah had not been 
inducted into this modern scheme of spiritualizing, which is so prevalent in 
the present day. 

Therefore we must judge the future by the past, and take the scriptures as 
they are, and apply them accordingly. In investigating the scriptures I find 
three kinds of teachings, (i. e.) “ Historical, Prophetical, and Metaphorical.” 
When we read the Historical part, read it the same as we would any other 
history, and prophecy, where “ thus saith the Lord,” believe it as it is writ¬ 
ten, for recollect Peter says, “ No Prophecy is of any private interpretation,” 
(i. e. no spiritualizing) and when we read parables or metaphors, believe them 
as such and apply them to the things they were designed to convey, and 
never let us apply things to ourselves that do not belong to us. For in¬ 
stance we are very apt to apply the Epistles of the Apostles to our own 
situation, when they no more belong to us, nor apply to us, than the Mes¬ 
sage of the President of the United States would apply to a Russian, The 
Epistles of the Apostles were all wrote and directed to the Saints of God 
that had been brought into the church of Christ by the preachings of the 
Apostles, and been initiated into his kingdom by them, and the Elders of 
the Church, holding the authority, (the Priesthood) to administer in the ordi- 


4 


A DISSERTATION ON 


nances of the same. Paul tells us what order of things they had embraced, 
which was, “faith, repentance, baptism, the laying on of hands, the resur¬ 
rection of the dead, and eternal judgment,” Heb. vi. 1, 2. “ To visit the 

fatherless and the widows in their affliction, and keep themselves unspotted 
from the world,” James i. 27. But before they received the initiating ordi¬ 
nances they were “ foreigners and aliens” to the household of God. The 
Epistles would not apply to the world, only those that had obeyed, as 
Paul says, “The form of doctrine that was delivered unto them;” and if 
we have not obeyed the same form, they will not apply to us; but if we 
have, and have been inducted into the church of God by the same laws, 
same authority (i. e., the Priesthood), then all the blessings and privileges 
that are promised to them will apply to us, and not without. 

But lest I should intrude too far on the reader’s patience, with prefatory 
remarks, I shall leave them and endeavour to investigate the subject matter 
I have taken in hand. 

Babylon, the most ancient and renowned city of the world, was pleasantly 
situated on the bank of a majestic river, a branch of the Euphrates, that ran 
through the city, and flowed through the plains of Shinar, near where the 
Tower of Babel once stood. It was laid out four square, and surrounded with 
a wall upwards of three hundred feet high, and sixty miles in circumference; 
having an hundred gates of brass, with bars of iron ; twenty-five gates on 
each side, which opened to streets, running through the city, a distance of 
fifteen miles; thus forming the whole city into exact squares of equal size. In 
the midst of these squares were beautiful gardens, adorned with trees and 
walks, diversified with flowers of varied hue; while the houses were built 
upon the borders of the squares, directly fronting on the street. In the midst 
of this great City, sat Nebuchadnezzar, the King, whom the Lord by the 
mouth of Jeremiah calls his servant, to execute his Judgments upon the 
Jews for their transgressions, Jer. xxv. 9. The Jews were reduced to sub¬ 
jection by him, their city, Jerusalem, was burned, together with their temple 
their princes, nobles, and people were carried to Babylon, together with all 
their holy things. All the particulars of this destruction and captivity were 
distinctly foretold by Jeremiah, and the time of its continuance, viz: seventy 
years. After the conquest of Jerusalem this mighty monarch marched his 
army against Tyre, the City of Merchants, subdued that: And finally, trace 
him executing the Lord’s vengeance and anger against Egypt, viz: the 
kings of the Philistines and Askelon, Azzah, Ekron, Edom, Moab, Ammon, 
and Dedan, Tema and Buz, and the kings of Arabia, and of Zimri, and of 
Elam, and of all the kings of the Medes, and all the kings of the North. 
Having subjugated all the Kingdoms far and near, he returned to the Royal 
City of Babylon. There he eat enthroned in royal splendour and magnifi¬ 
cence, and swaying his sceptre over all the then known kingdoms of the 
world, he was thinking upon his bed, what should come to pass hereafter , 
what should be the future success of his family and kingdom, and that 
according to the course of nature, he must soon resign this mortal coil to its 
mother dust, and his fame and glory be eclipsed by some one that might 
take the spoils which he by his conquests had already acquired. lie fell 
into a deep sleep; he dreamed something to the purpose of his waking 
thoughts which astonished him, but he could not rightly understand it. The 
dream affected him strongly at the time, but awaking in confusion, he had 
but an imperfect remembrance of it. He called therefore for the mag icians and 


5 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

astrologers, and imperiously demanded of them upon pain of death, “ to make 
known unto him both the dream and the interpretation thereof.” They an¬ 
swered him, that no king had ever required such a thing, and that God 
alone, whose dwelling is not with flesh, could disclose it.” For this cause 
he was angry, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon,” and 
they sought Daniel and his fellows, (captives of Judah) to be slain. Then 
Daniel and his fellows prayed to the God of Heaven ; and the dream, together 
with the interpretation was given to Daniel in a night vision. He blessed the 
God of Heaven. He comes before the King and tells him. “ There is a 
God in Heaven that revealeth secrets, and he has made known to the King 
Nebuchadnezzar, what shall be in the latter days.” “ Thou O King, sawest, 
and behold a great image stood before thee, whose head was of fine gold, 
his breast and arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, his legs of 
iron, his feet and toes, part of iron and part of miry clay. Thou beheld, till 
a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, which smote the image 
upon the feet, which were part of iron, and part of clay, and brake them in 
pieces; then was the iron, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces 
together, and became as the chaff of the summer threshing floor ; the wind 
carried them away, that no place was found for them; but the stone which 
smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.” “This 
is the dream,” said Daniel “ and we will tell the King the interpretation.” 

“ Thou, O King, art a King of Kings; for the God of Heaven hath given 
thee a Kingdom, power, strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children 
of men dwell, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the heaven, hath he given 
into thy hands, and hath made thee ruler over them all.” “ Thou art this 
Head of Gold” “And after thee shall arise another Kingdom, inferior to 
thee, and another third Kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the 
earth. And the fourth Kingdom shall be strong as iron; for as much as 
iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things : and as iron breaketh all 
these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet 
and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of irun, the Kingdom shall be divided : 
but there shall be in it, of the strength of the iron, for as much as thou sawest 
the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of 
iron, and part of clay so the Kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly 
broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay they shall 
mingle themselves with the seed of men; but they shall not cleave one to 
another; even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these 
Kings shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be 
destroyed and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break 
in pieces, and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. For 
as much as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without 
hands, and that it break in pieces, the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver and 
the gold; the great God hath made known to the King, what shall come to 
pass hereafter; and the dream is certain and the interpretation thereof is 
sure.” 

Thus we see it pleased the God of Heaven to roli back the curtain of 
futurity, and to present before the King, in a vision of the night, at one 
view, the history of the world, even down to the consummation of all things. 
And in this great view cf the subject as given by Daniel, we have presented 
before us in succession: 1st. The Kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar; 2d. The 
Modes and Persians, who took Babylon from Belteshazzar and reigned over all 
1 * 


A DISSERTATION ON 


the earth; 3d. The Greeks under Alexander, who conquered the world and 
reigned in the midst of Babylon; and 4th. The Roman Empire, which sub¬ 
dued all things; 5th. Its division into eastern and western empires, and its 
final breaking or subdivision into the various Kingdoms of Modern Europe, 
represented by the feet and toes, part of iron and part of clay. And lastly, 
we have presented before us an entirely new Kingdom, organized by the 
God of Heaven, in the last days , or during the reign of these Kings represented 
by the feet and toes. This last Kingdom is never to change masters, like 
all the Kingdoms which had gone before it. It was never to be left to other 
people. It was to break in pieces all these Kingdoms and stand forever. 

“ Thou art this head of gold.” Thus the Babylonish Empire under Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar, was the first Kingdom ; after his death it fell to his son Bel¬ 
shazzar, and in a few years it was overcome by the Medes and Persians. 
For as the impious Belshazzar was drinking himself drunk with his wives 
and concubines out of the golden vessels his father had taken from the Tem¬ 
ple of Jerusalem, a writing appeared on the wall of the palace which caused 
him to quake, and his knees smote together for fear. Daniel the Prophet 
was called in to interpret the writing, who informed the King, that he was 
weighed in a balance and found wanting, and that his Kingdom was given to 
the Medes and Persians.” The same night was the thing fulfilled, for Cyrus 
(who is termed the Lord’s annointed, Isa. xlv. who was son of Cambyses, 
King of Persia, and son-in-law of Cyaxares his uncle King of Media, whose 
powers were united under Cyrus ; who succeeded and united beth crowns 
by marriage,) had pitched his camp before the mighty and majestic walls of 
the renowned city of Babylon, and by turning the course of the River, he 
and his army marched under the walls of the city, in the dry bed of the river, 
and took possession of the city. 

Having subdued this great monarchy, he seated himself upon the throno 
of Kingdoms, and ruling over one hundred and twenty Provinces, and be¬ 
coming familiar with Daniel no doubt, and introduced to the Jewish record ; 
he was made acquainted with the mysteries of his triumphs, and saw that 
God, (which he nor his fathers, knew) had girded him. Accordingly he 
issues a command for the Jews to gather to Jerusalem, and build their city 
and temple: Ezra, i. 1, 2, &c. Hence this is the second Kingdom, and will 
apply to the “ heart and arms of silver ,” of the image. After Cyrus, and 
his son Cambyses, Darius the son of Ahasuerus, took the Kingdom, to 
which had been added seven more Provinces, making in all i27: See 
Esth. i. 1. 

We now come to the “ Third Kingdom .” It is universally admitted that 
Alexander the Great (son of Philip, King of Macedon) subverted the Persian 
Empire. The Kingdom therefore that succeeded to the Persian, was the Mace¬ 
donian, and it was fitly represented by liis “ thighs of brass," for the Greeks 
were famous for their brazen armour 

Alexander having marched east, west, north, and south, making conquests 
wherever he went, at last conquered Babylon, put an end to the Persian 
Empire, and established the Grecian or Macedonian Empire on its ruins. 

“ His legs of iron," interpreted by Daniel, the fourth kingdom, should 
break and destroy all the former Kingdoms, and it is very well known that 
the Romans overcame and subdued the Macedonian Empire, carried their 
conquests throughout the then known world, and became, as the Roman 
historians delighted to call her, “ terrarum orbis imperiun ” the Empire of 
the whole world . 


7 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

“ The Kingdom was to he partly strong and partly broken ,” and so it was 
with the Roman Empire. It soon began to be racked and defiled with a 
mixture of barbarous nations, (Goths and Vandals) weakened and divided 
by them, as Jerome justly observes, “in their cities, castles and armies,” 
and torn by civil broils and internal dissentions, until the Empire became 
divided into ten kingdoms: which ten kingdoms comprise a part and is to 
be found, according to Bishop Lloyd and others, in Modern Europe. I 
shall give their rise and name in their proper place, when I come to recapitu¬ 
late on the visions Daniel had, concerning the same Kingdoms, 48 years 
after Nebuchadnezzar had his dream, and John’s of the Roman Empire, 700 
years after. “ They shall mingle themselves with the seed of men , yet they 
shall not cleave one to another." And have not the Roman Provinces been 
surrounded by Protestant Kingdoms, &c., and marrying one with another, 
(i. e. “ mingling themselves with the seed of men,”) and yet neither union 
of Church or State has ever ensued. 

Daniel, in the vii. chapter of his prophecy, gives a description of the 
same Kingdoms that was represented to Nebuchadnezzar, by a great image, 
is shown to him by four different kinds of beasts. The last one was terri¬ 
ble, diverse from all the rest, and it had ten horns, interpreted by the Angel, 
(v. 17) “ The four beasts are four Kings" (v. 24) “ The ten horns are ten 
Kings." “ And among the ten horns came up another little horn, before 
whom three of the ten fell.” This little horn all Commentators admit to be 
the Pope, for he came up among the ten, and the ten were not in existence 
until the year A. D. 526, and the three first Kingdoms that fell before the 
Pope, were the Exarchate of Ravenna, the Kingdom of the Lombards, and 
the State of Rome, the same were annexed to the Pope’s dominions. And 
that same horn was to make war with the saints, and prevail against them 
until the “ Ancient of Days sit.” “But the Ancient of Days was to sit, 
and destroy his Kingdom, and his body be given to the burning flame, (v. 
11) and the Kingdom under the whole heaven be given to the saints of the 
Most High,”, (v. 27.) 

Daniel also, in viii. ch. of his prophecy, has another vision of the same, 
excepting the head of the image, or the Babylonish Empire, for it was in 
the reign of Belshazzar, and it was in such a rapid decline that he does not 
seem to notice it, but refers immediately to the Medo Persian Empire, under 
Cyrus, which he denominates by a Ram having two horns (i. e. the two 
Kings of Media and Persia,) but one horn was higher than the other, and 
the higher came up last, (v. 3,) (*. e. Cyrus united both crowns by marriage, 
overcame the Median, and the Kingdom went by the name of the Persian 
Empire,) (v. 4.) He saw the ram pushing westward, &c., so no beast 
might stand before him. But, says he, (v. 5) “ A he goat came from the 
west, and touched not the ground,” (alluding to Alexander, for Europe is 
west of Asia; therefore he came from the west, and his marches were so 
swift, fifty miles of a day, he was said not to touch the ground,) “ and he 
had a notable horn between his eyes,” “and he came (v. 6) to the ram that 
had two horns , which 1 had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him 
in the fury of his power,” (v. 7.) “ And I saw him close unto the ram,—- 

emote him,”—“ shake his two horns,”—“ cast him to the ground, and 
stamped upon him,” &c. 

Could wc have a better or more accurate description given of what took 
place afterwards than the prophet of God has given us. The Angel tells 



8 


A DISSERTATION ON 


Dan. (v. 20) “ The ram which thou sawest having two horns , are the Kings 
of Media and Persia,” (v. 21) “And the rough goat is the king of Grecia, 
and the great horn between his eyes is the first king,” (Kingdom) “ And he 
came to the ram,” &c. One can hardly read these words without having 
some image of Darius’ army standing and guarding the river Granicus with 
about 150,000 men; and Alexander on the other side with his forces, 
plunging in swimming across the stream, his army, which only consisted of 
about 35,000, following him, attacking the Persians, routing them, and also 
defeating them in pitched battle at Isus, Arbella in Persia, and other places. 
After conquering the Persians, and subduing the then known world, and 
repining there were no more to conquer, he retired to Babylon, where he 
gave himself up to intoxication and licentiousness, and died of a fever, in 
the thirty-fourth year of his age. Ilis natural brother, Philip, succeeded 
him in the throne, and his two sons, Alexander and Hercules; but in fifteen 
years they were all three murdered, (Dan. viii. 8) “ Then was the great 
horn broken,” (i. e., the great horn between his eyes, or the first Kingdom 
of the Greeks in Asia,) “ and for it came up four notable ones, towards the 
four winds of heaven,” viz: lour of Alexander’s captains prevailed over the 
rest; first, Cassander reigned in Greece, and the West —Lysiinachus in 
Thrace and the North —Ptolemy in Egypt and the South —and Seleucus in 
Syria and the East , (v. 9.) “ Out of one of them came a little horn.” 

Some suppose that this little horn has reference to the Pope of Rome, but I 
cannot reconcile the application to my mind; because the little horn here 
spoken of came out of one of the four Kingdoms that the Macedonian Em¬ 
pire (or third Kingdom) was divided into. But the horn that svas to perse¬ 
cute and wear out the saints, until the ancient of days sit, was to come up 
among the ten horns (Kingdoms) of the fourth, or Roman Empire; and this 
horn was to subdue three kings, but there is nothing said about the other 
horn subduing three; therefore, I shall apply the little horn out of the four 
Kingdoms, where it will not clash, and appear the most reasonable, (as some 
Commentators haye) viz: to Antichus Epihiphanes, who beseiged Jerusa¬ 
lem, defiled the altar in the temple by sprinkling swine’s blood upon it, and set 
up the statue of Jupiter Olympus upon the same ; sold the office of Priesthood, 
and carried the daily sacrifice away for three-and-a-half years. But he did 
not cast down the sanctuary, neither had the transgressors come to their full, 
nor did he cast down the Prince of the host (which certainly must apply to 
Jesus,) but the Romans did; they besieged Jerusalem, cast down the sanc¬ 
tuary, destroyed upwards of a million of Jews, carried the daily sacrifice 
completely away, destroyed the Temple, and carried the Jews that were left 
captive away to Rome, &e. And this was to be when the transgressors (the 
Jews; had come to their full, Dan. viii. 23. And the fulness of their iniquity 
soon came when they (by the consent of the Romans) had shed the biood 
of him who never sinned. 

John in the xiii. ch. of his revelations gives a description of the last beast, 
viz: the Roman Empire, as the other three had long past away before he 
received his revelations, which was about the year A. D. 96. He saw it with 
ten horns , just as Daniel did, “ And power given to it, over the Saints, and 
over all nations: And it blasphemed the God of heaven.” (v. 6, 7,) compare 
with Dan. vii. 21, 24, 25. 

Rev. xvii. We have a description of the Church of Rome and also the 
Beast?' (The Roman Empire) that carries her, (v. 3) “ He saw a Woman 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 


9 


(the Church) sit upon a scarlet coloured Beast, &c., having seven heads, and 
ten horns, (v. 6) I saw the women drunken with the blood of saints, ”&c. “I 
wondered with admiration,” explained by the Angel, (v. 8) “ The beast thou 
sawest was and is not,” “ and yet is,” &c. (v. 9) “ The seven heads are 

seven mountains, on which the women sitteth,” Refering no doubt to Rome, 
which is situated on seven hills; or to the seven forms of the Roman govern¬ 
ment, (v. 10) “ And there are seven Kings, five are fallen, and one is, and 
the other is not yet come : and when he cometh he must continue a short 
space.” “ Seven Kings, (Kingdoms) For there cannot be a King without a 
Kingdom,” neither a Kingdom without a form of government. And I shall 
here insert the application of the seven Kings, by Livy and Tacitus, two Ro¬ 
man Historians, in preference to any other, 1. The Consulate, 2. Dictarorship, 
3. Deeemvirate, 4. Consular of Military Tribunes, 5. The Triumvirate, 6. 
Imperial Caesars ; the one subsisting at the time of the vision, the other five 
having fallen and the seventh had not yet come. 

An end was put to the imperial name in the year 476, by Odoacer King 
of the Hemli, who having taken Rome, deposed Momylus Augustulus, the 
last Emperor of the west. But no new form of Government was established 
until the year, A. D. 568, when Rome was reduced to a Dukedom, tributary 
to the Exarch of Ravenna, by Longinus. And this I consider the other King¬ 
dom, ( i . e. form of government) that makes thes eventh, which in the Apostle’s 
day had not come, for Rome had never experienced this form of Government 
before. But it was to “ continue but a short space,” which it did, for the 
city revolted from the Eastern Emperor to the Pope in the year 727, having 
existed about 159 years, which is a short space in comparison to the impe¬ 
rial power which preceded and lasted above 500 years, and the Papal which 
hath now continued upwards of a thousand. So we see that here are the 
seven Kings, (v. 11) “ And the beast that was and is not, even he is the eighth 
and is of the seven,” &c. The Beast was under the heathen Emperors, was 
not under the Christian, and yet is (revived) under the Roman Pontiff. The 
beast therefore upon which the woman rideth, is the Roman government in 
its last form; and this, we must acknowledge, is the Papal, and is the eighth, 
and of the seventh, “and goeth into perdition,” (v. 12.) “And the ten horns 
are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet,” neither did they in 
John’s day, for they were not in existence. 

I will here give a list of the ten Kingdoms, with their rise, according to 
Bishop Lloyd, “ 1, Huns, A. D. 356. 2, Ostrogroths, 377. 3, Wisigoths, 

378. 4, Franks, 407. 5, Vandals, 407. 6, Sucves and Alans, 407. 7, 

Burgundians, 407. 8, Plerules and Rugians, 476. 9, Saxons, 476. 10, 

Lingobards in Hungary, in 526.” 

Thus we see that in the year 526 the Roman Empire became divided into 
ten Kingdoms, but amid the great disorder and confusion of the times,.one 
Kingdom falling, and another rising, and scarce any subsisting for a long 
while together, it is very difficult to arrive, at present, to the particular King¬ 
doms that came out of the Roman Empire, but they have been taken notice 
of at different times and by different authors; as about, A. D. 1240, by 
Eberard, bishop of Saltsburgh, in the diet at Ratisbon, and Mr. Whiston, 
who published his Essay on the Revelation of St. John in the year 1706, 
observes, “ the number was exactly ten.” But though there are many more 
great Kingdoms and Dominions in Europe besides, yet are they out of the 
bounds of the old Roman Empire, and not so directly within our present 
inquiry. 


10 


A DISSERTATION ON 


Thus, candid reader, I have traced, in a brief manner, by history and 
Prophecy, the rise and fall of the four great Kingdoms, as represented by the 
image, and the division of the last, or Roman, into ten, as represented by the 
toes; and we have arrived to the year A. D. 526, and this I shall make use 
of, in its proper place, to prove that Daniel was speaking of a Kingdom later 
than the days of Christ, or his apostles. 

I shall now endeavour (in brief) to trace out the Kingdom of God as set 
up in the days of the apostles, together with its organization, its officers, 
ordinances, laws, gifts, blessings, &c., as recorded in holy writ. Suffice it to 
say, that after Christ was baptised, Mat. iii. 16, he chose twelve Apostles, 
and other seventy, and sent them forth (e.x.) with power over unclean 
spiritsf^with this proclamation. “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” After 
three years and a half, he was taken by wicked hands and crucified, but the 
grave could not hold him; death’s icy chains could not bind him ; he rises from 
the dead, ascends to his Father, John xx. 17. Gets crowned with all power, 
in Heaven and on Earth, and returns to his disciples to give them their commis¬ 
sion, Mat. xxviii., 19. “ Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, (v. 20.) “ Teaching them to 
observe all things ” and on conditions of their teaching all things, that he had 
commanded them he would be with them alway,” (no non-essential here). 
Again; Mark xvi. 16, “ He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved ; 
and he that believeth not, shall be damned,” (v. 17, 18.) with the promise 
of signs following the believer. Also Luke, xxiv. 47, “ That repentance 
and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, 
beginning at Jerusalem.” Thus we have a perfect system, which is; 1. 
Faith. 2. Repentance. 3. Baptism, for the remission of sins. See Acts ii. 
38, do xxii. 16. Together with the promise of receiving the Holy Ghost, 
with the gifts and blessings thereto attending. See I. Cor. xii., c. Mark xvi. 
17,18. 

But he commands them to tarry at Jerusalem until they have received 
their endowment, (£. e. the Priesthood) attended with the second Comforter, 
the Holy Ghost, which he had promised to send unto them, to bring all things 
to their remembrance and show them things to come. God sent Christ 
with the Melchizedeck Priesthood. See Heb. v. 5, 6. And Christ sent his 
Apostles with the same Priesthood. See John xvii. 18. Accordingly the 
Apostles retire to Jerusalem into an upper room, Acts i. 13. There in 
devout prayer, waiting for the Holy Ghost, which, according to promise came 
upon them like a mighty rushing wind, that caused them to rejoice, and speak 
in other tongues, which when the people saw, and heard, were amazed, and 
said they were drunk , &c. But Peter soon silenced them by preaching, and 
reasoning from the Scriptures, and they were forced to exclaim, “ What shall 
we do ?” Hear his answer, how literally he obeyed the Commission given 
him by his Saviour. “ Then Peter said unto them , repent and he baptised 
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins ; and ye 
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ” “ For the promise is unto you and 

your children , and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God 
shall call , Acts ii. 38, 39. And “ God calls all men every where to repent.” 
Therefore the promise is for us. 

We also find that the laying on of the hands is an ordinance of the doc¬ 
trine of Christ, Heb. vi. 2. For the sealing of members in the Church, and 
for the gift of the Holy Ghost by those holding the Priesthood, Acts viii- 17, 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 


11 


18, 19, also, Acts xix. 6. I Ep. Tim. i. 4, &c. Thus we see that all the 
ordinances are essential. But some in this our day have grown so wise, 
they say they are of no use; for instance, water baptism. But we find 
wherever the Apostles preached, the first thing after the people believed was 
to baptise them ; and not take them on months' probations as they do now. 
Look at the Jailor, Acts xvi. 33, who was baptised the same hour of the 
night he believed. Again—Lydia, the first sermon she heard, v. 15, same 
ch. Also, the Eunuch riding along the road, was convinced by Philip’s 
preaching, and was baptised in the first water they came to, Acts viii. 35 to 
38. And Christ has said, “ Except a man be born of Water , and of the Spirit, 
he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God,” John iii. 5. 

And again, let us inquire what were the officers that composed this 
Kingdom ? to preach the words of life,—to administer in those holy laws; 
and to initiate subjects in ? 

Let the inspired Apostle Paul answer: “ When Christ ascended up on 
high,” &c.,—he gave gifts unto men. “ And he gave some Apostles, and 
some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers,” 
Ephe. iv. 8 and 11. What were they given for? Ans. (v. 12.) For the per¬ 
fecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the 
body (Church) of Christ.” How long were they to continue ? Ans. (v. 13.) 
“ Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son 
of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of 
Christ, (v. 14.) “ That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and 

fro, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men and 
cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive .” 

Again, I. Ep. Cor. xii. 28. “ And God hath set some in the Church. 

First, Apostles ; secondly, Prophets; thirdly, Teachers; after that, miracles; 
then gifts of healing, helps, governments and diversities of tongues.” 

Thus we see the organization, offices, laws, and order of the Kingdom of 
God, as set up in the days of the Apostles. And God set those officers in 
the Church to “ perfect the Saints ” l fur the work of the ministry ,” and that we 
should not be “ carried about by every wind of doctrine." And where has he 
ever said he would take them away (until perfection arrives; and then they 
will be no longer needed), except in cases of transgression and disobedience, 
on account of which men hath forfeited their rights to them, and Christ 
has only promised to be with his disciples, “ on condition of their teaching 
all things which lie commanded them.” But in this day and age of the 
world, there is scarce a vestige of the ancient order remaining, (non-essen¬ 
tials say they). Therefore we cannot expect Christ to be with such. But 
without these officers in the Church, we see that we are liable to be carried 
about by every false doctrine. Hence the multifarious clashing, jarring, 
discord, and division of the present day. 

Thus, kind reader, I have presented you with the order of the Kingdom of 
God, as set up in the days of the Apostles, and I will prove to you (positively, 
I trust), that this was not the Kingdom Daniel had reference to in the 
words of my text. “ In the days of these Kings (i. e. the ten Kingdoms of 
the Roman Empire) shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom , which shall 
never be destroyed; and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it 
shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and shall stand forever .” 

First. The Kingdom of God set up in the days of Christ, or his Apostles, 
did not break in pieces any of the Kingdoms of the world; it was itself 


12 


A DISSERTATION ON 


warred against and overcome, in fulfilment of the words of Daniel, chap. vii. 
21 v. “I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints and prevailed 
against them,” (v. 22.) “Until the Ancient of days came, and Judgment 
was given to the Saints of the most high; and the time came that the Saints 
possessed the Kingdom,” (v. 27.) “And the Kingdom and dominion, and 
the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the 
people of the Saints of the Most High; whose Kingdom is an Everlasting 
Kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.” 

John Records, Rev. xiii. 7. “ And it was given unto him to make war 
with the Saints and to overcome them ; and power was given him over all 
kindreds, tongues, and nations,” and in fulfilment of these sayings, power 
has been given to the authorities of the earth to kill the Apostles and inspired 
men until, if any remained, thfey were banished from among men, or forced 
to retire to the desolate islands, or the dens and caves of the mountains of 
the earth; being men of whom the world was not worthy; while at the 
same time many false prophets and teachers were introduced in their places, 
whom men heaped to themselves, because they would not endure sound 
doctrine. In this way the Kingdom of God became disorganised and lost 
from among men, and doctrine and Churches of men instituted in its stead. 

Isaiah, in the xxiv. c. of his Prophecies, gives a description of the destruc¬ 
tions that is to take place with Priest, People, Earthly Kingdoms, and all. 

“ And that the inhabitants are to be burned, and few men left.” And he 
assigns the reason of this dire calamity, viz: (v. 5.) “ Because they have 

transgressed the laws , changed the ordinance , broken the everlasting cove¬ 
nant .” 

The Apostles Iikswise have prophecied of the disorganization of the Kingdom 
set up in their day. Hear Paul, Acts xx. 29. “ For I know this, thatafter my de¬ 
parting shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock,” (v, 
30.) “ Also of your ownselves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw 
away disciples after them.” Also I. Tim. iv. 1. “ Now the spirit speaketh 

expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving 
heed to seducing spirits, and to doctrines of devils ,” II. Tim. iii. 5. “ They 
shall have a form of godliness , denying the power thereof,” (v. 7.) “Ever 
learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth,” chap, iv, 3,4. 
“ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after 
their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” 
“ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth unto fables.” Also ii. 
3, “ Let no .man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come (i. e. 
the coming of Christ) except there come a falling away first, and that man 
of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.” 

After all these testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles, who can say but 
that the Kingdom set up in the days of Christ was overcome. But I have 
more testimony to prove positively that Daniel had reference to a Kingdom 
later than the days of Christ or his Apostles. 

First, Daniel’s Kingdom was to be set up in the days of the ten Kings, or 
Kingdoms of the Roman Empire, whieh was not in existence in the days of 
Christ, neither was until upwards of five hundred years after, as I have here¬ 
tofore proven. 

Second, Daniel’s Kingdom, is never to be left (given) to other people; but 
the Kingdom in the days of Christ was first given to the Jews, Math, xv 
24. “ I am only sent unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” But in 


13 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

a few years they ceased to bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom. “And 
Christ tells them, categorically, “ That the Kingdom of God shall be taken 
from them and given to a nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof, see Math, 
xxi. 43.” Which was fulfilled in about ten years after Paul tells them also, 
Acts, xiii. 46, “ Seeing ye judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, 
we turn to the Gentiles.” 

Therefore here is plain positive testimony, that, the Kingdom set up in the 
days of Christ, was not the one Daniel had allusion to, because that was 
given first to the Jews, afterwards taken from them and given to the Gen¬ 
tiles, and finally overcame. But this last Kingdom is never to change 
hands, it is never to be left to other people, but it is a kingdom to be organi¬ 
zed in the last days by the God of Heaven himSelf; without the aid of 
human institutions, or the precepts of men; and, when once organized, it 
will never cease to roll; all the powers of earth and hell will not impede its 
progress, until at length the Ancient of days shall sit, and the Lord Jesus 
will come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory, as the King 
of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and destroy all these Kingdoms, and give the 
Kingdom, and the greatness of the Kingdom, under the whole Heaven to 
the saints of the most high. Then there will be but one form of worship, 
one Lord, and his name one, and he shall be King over all the earth. 

Thus we see this last Kingdom will stand forever, and as the Kingdom 
organized in the days of the Apostles, has been overcome, according to the 
testimony already adduced from the Prophets, we will now refer to Ecclesias¬ 
tical History, and see if it bears testimony to Ihe same, and in so doing I shall 
have reference to Dr. Mosheim, Gahan, Milner, and Jones’s Church History. 

The order the Church was established on, I have made manifest in the 
preceding pages; and it appears that schisms commenced very early in the 
Church, for persecution raged, and many for fear of death, (no doubt) denied 
the faith, Rome was travailing in birth, and soon the “man of sin showed 
his hydra head; Paul said in his day, “ that the mystery of iniquity doth 
already work” II. Thes. ii. 7. 

About the year one hundred, all the Apostles it is said were killed off, 
(except John the beloved Disciple, and he returned from the Isle of Patmos, 
about the year 98, to Ephesus, where he wrote his Gospel, and there is 
where Ancient historians leave him; and where modern historians think he 
died) Peter and Paul were the two last who suffered martyrdom under 
Nero, Emperor of Rome, but the church flourished (with the exceptions of a 
few schisms,) under the Apostles’ successors, till near the close of the second 
century, when they commenced sprinkling for Baptism, instead of immer¬ 
sion. Gahan says the first time that sprinkling was performed was on a man, 
who was very sick upon his bed, and so low he did not expect to live, he w T as 
sprinkled in his bed, the man recovered, but he was not received into the church, 
because he had nut been baptised in the legal way; and we know the word 
“ Baptiso ,” in Greek, means immerse in Latin, and “ dip or plunge” in English. 

In the third century they began the sprinkling of infants (see Mosheim, 
rol. 1. p. 69, Gahan 93,) an abomination in the sight of God, and trifling 
with the atonement, for faith and repentance precedes baptism, and infants 
cannot believe nor repent. “ He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved,” 
says the Saviour. 

In the year A. D. 323 r Constantine, the Emperor, took the reins of church 
into his hands, amalgamated Church and State; took upon himself the title of 
2 


14 


A DISSERTATION ON 


Universal Bishop, heaped large salaries upon the Clergy, and from that time, 
schisms became more numerous, and the gifts of the holy spirit began to re¬ 
cede more and more from the Church. 

In A. D. 325, the celebrated Council of Nice was held, consisting of 318 
Bishops, Presbyteries, and Deacons, amounting in all to 2,048. Here was 
where the famous Nicene Creed,was first concocted and adopted, that caused 
many (no doubt) to mourn, especially if they did not embrace it, and by the 
year 570, says Mosheim, all the spiritual gifts had fled. All this time the 
Roman Church was endeavouring to augment the power, and have the“ Holy 
See" (Popery) finally established, which she soon attained, for in the year A. 
D. 606, the title of Pope was conferred upon Boniface the 3d, and in 608 
Mahomet came forth from a cave near Mecca, and began to propagate his re¬ 
ligion, and from this time up to the days of Martin Luther, all kinds of licen¬ 
tiousness crept into the Church, (for the Church of Christ was overcome by 
the Latin or Romish Church) such as, the worshiping of images, relics, said to 
be of some saint, and in fact nearly all manner of absurdities, were practised. 
The faggot, the fire, and rack, were the general means employed to make 
adherents to their faith. 

In the ninth Century the Greek Church separated from the Latin, and es¬ 
tablished its seat at New Rome or Constantinople. Thus with the Latin or 
Romish Church on the one hand, and the Greek on the other, there was no 
toleration for those who desired to worship, in the name of the Son of the 
Virgin, and not believe in the infallibility of the Pope. 

Thus they continued hand in hand (for the Greek Church was merely a 
branch of the Latin) to persecute and put down all others. 

In the 12th Century a Merchant near Lyons, by the name of Peter Waldo, 
commenced a reformation, and gathered a few followers around him, called 
the Waldenses. And in the same Century, the Albigenes arose from one 
Arnold, a citizen of Albi near Toulouse. But they were of short duration, for 
Pope Pius III. sent a crusade against them, and murdered them in the most 
cruel manner. Who can read the history of the cruelties inflicted upon them 
in the Vallies of Piedmont, without shuddering at the wickedness and de¬ 
pravity of the Romish Church ? 

Thus I have (briefly) traced up the Church for the space of 1200 years : 
and we find that the Historians agree with the Prophets, viz : that the King¬ 
dom of God set up in the days of Christ, and his Apostles, was overcome, 
and Antichrist erected upon its ruins. Now I shall trace the reformation, 
commencing with Martin Luther, and take a passing notice of the origin 
and faith of the most notable orthodox societies, down to the present day, 
deducing my information from the same Ecclesiastical Historians before 
quoted. Also from “ Buck’s Theological Dictionary,” “ Cobbett’s Legacy to 
Parsons,” and from their own Disciplines. And let us see if any of those 
societies that arose at the beginning of the reformation, or down to the 18th 
Century, will apply to the “ Kingdom ” Daniel speaks of, (for recollect wc arc 
in search of that Kingdom.) If not, we must reject them, as being set up by 
the God of Heaven. 

Martin Luther the Great reformer was born at Eislebon in Upper Saxony 
in A. D. 1483, he was a monk of the order of the Augustin Friars, and a 
man of learning. In 1517, Pope Leo sent Tetzel as legate over to Germany, 
to procure sales for the Pope’s notorious Indulgencies, Luther protested against 
the Pope’s absurdities, and those licentious indulgences, in strong terms; several 
joined him, and here the reformation commenced; but not without opposition. 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 


15 


About the same time, Melancthon, Zuinglius, and John Calvin, began 
preaching in favour of the reformation. Their doctrine varying somewhat 
from Luther’s, and Calvin’s in particular, who was a real predestinarian, and a 
zealous bigot, or else he would not have had poorServetus burnt at the stake. 

In the mean time Luther was gathering around him his followers. King 
Henry VIII, who belonged to the Roman Church, was busily employed in 
writing a Book against Luther and his doctrine, and advocating the creeds 
and doctrines of the Church of Rome, and he so ably defended the same, 
that the Pope conferred upon him the title of the “ Defender of the Faith.” 
But the scene soon changes, Henry being married to Catharine, his deceased 
Brother’s wife, yet falls in love with Anne Boylen, one of the Queen’s maids 
of honor, and makes application to Pope Clement, for a divorce, (That he 
might marry Anne.) But his Holiness would not grant Henry his request, 
and for this reason he protested against the Church of Rome,^took the affairs 
into his own hand, and proclaimed himself head of the Church. Here we 
may date the rise of the Church of England, for it was soon after organized, 
and established by law , and Thomas Cranmer, (formerly a Romish Priest, 
and carrying a woman about in a clandestine manner, when fee was sworn 
to the vows of the celibacy) was appointed Archbishop of the Church. 
Soon after he divorced Henry from his wife, and he obtained the object he 
was seeking after, viz : Anne Boylen. It now became necessary to compose a 
form of Prayer, accordingly a day was appointed by Bishop Cranmer for the 
officers of the Church, to assemble together, and compose the same. Accord- 
ingly says the account (which I extract from “ Cohbett's Legacy to Parsons ,” 
and he has taken it, from the records of Parliament,) they assembled to¬ 
gether by the laws of the land, assisted by the “ Holy Ghost” and composed 
a form of Prayers, &.c., which was soon after published in a Book called the 
Prayer Book ” for the use of the Church. And the fire, branding of the 
cheeks, cropping of the ears, &.C., were the general means employed to make 
the people submit to it. “ No wonder (says Cobbett) it affected men’s con¬ 
sciences so it took such an affect upon their ears.” 

After Henry’s death his son Edward VI at twelve years old became the 
head of the Church. During his reign a special Act of Parliament w r as 
passed to regulate the Church; hence it was established by the laws of the 
land ; and not by the law of God, and the Kings and Queens of England to 
the present day, at their coronation, are sworn to protect the Church, “ as by 
law established .” 

After Edward’s decease a new aspect of things presented themselves. 
Mary, a bigoted Papist, ascended the Throne: she overthrew the Church, 
and pronounced all its followers heretics. They signed recantations, asked 
forgiveness of the Pope, and pronounced the “ Prayer Book ” a heresy. Thus 
the Church was silenced through her reign. 

On the death of Mary, Elizabeth, (an illegitimate Daughter of Henry by 
Anne Boylen) ascended the Throne. The Church of England was again 
revived. The u Prayer Book” underwent a revision, and so the Church has 
flourished till the present day. 

In A. D. 1536, the Baptists arose and were organized under Simon Menno 
a native of Friesland, who had formerly been a Roman Priest. Although 
the Waldenses, and Albigenes baptised, and the Baptists claim their origin 
from them, yet they cannot with any propriety trace their origin further back 
than Menno. At first they were called Mennoites, but since changed their name 
to Baptist, yet there are some thatretain the original, see Bucks’ T. D.p. 35. 


16 


A DISSERTATION ON 


In the 16th Century the Presbyterians arose from John Knox, (a disciple 
of Calvin) who founded the first Presbyterian Church in Scotland. There¬ 
fore, perfectly speaking, Calvin is the founder of their Church. 

In the 17th Century the Quakers arose from George Fox, their founder; 
they called themselves at first, Seekers. After the Society was formed they 
called themselves Friends. “ Quaker ” is an epithet of reproach by their 
enemies. Penn and Barclay gave their principles a more regular form than 
what they were in the days of Fox. 

In 1729, the Methodist arose, from John Wesley, a dissenter, and formerly 
a Presbyter in the Church of England. Francis Asbury, and Thomas 
Coke were ordained in England, and sent over here, where they arrived, 
at Baltimore, in A. D. 1784, to proclaim the Methodist Doctrine, and build 
up Churches, and to preside as Bishops over the same. They, like Wesley, 
were both Presbyters in the Church of England. 

German Reformed descended from a Calvinistic Church in Germany. 
They remained in a scattered state till 1746, when one Michael Schlatter 
collected them together, and formed a Society. 

The origin and rise of the Universalists is very uncertain. Origen in the 
3d. Century (it is said) embraced the sentiments, but the great advocates of 
more modern times were Ramsey, Dr. Cheyne, Hartly, Dr. Huntingdon, &c. 

Thus, kind reader, I have laid before you the origin and rise of the popular 
Orthodox Societies of the present day, and now I shall endeavour to make 
a recapitulation and an exposition of some of their most prominent items 
of faith, commencing first with the Lutherans, whose doctrines are substan¬ 
tially those of the confession of Augsburgh, viz: The Doctrine of the Trinity. 

“ Tria Juncta in uno” i. e. three joined in one ; a vicarious atonement, 
made by the passion and death of Jesus Christ; the depravity of human 
nature, conversion, produced by the Holy Spirit, the resurrection of the body, 
a future state of rewards and punishments, &c.; which are the cardinal 
articles of their creed, Buck, Appendix No. v. 

They deny the gifts of the Holy Ghost, immediate revelation, Baptism by 
immersion, and believe in the sprinkling of infants ; but deny the testimony 
of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy, Rev. xix. 10, and “except ye have 
that spirit ye are none of his,” Rom. viii. 9. 

Second. Church of England, “ Prayer Book,” p. 316. “There is but ono 
true and living God, everlasting without body, parts , or passions , maker of 
all things, &c. In unity of this Godhead, three persons of one substance, 
power and eternity ; the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the Son who is the 
begotten of the Father, and of one substance with the Father; took man’s 
nature in the womb of the blessed virgin—and the Godhead and manhood 
were joined together; whereof is, Christ—God—and man, who suffered, 
was crucified, dead and buried, to reconcile the Father to us, arose from the 
dead, took again his body, with all things appertaining to the perfection of 
man’s nature, wherewith he ascended into heaven, and there sittelh until he 
returns to Judge all men at the last day.” 

Let us examine the above, and see if it is rationable and reasonable. 

1st. A God, without body, parts , or passions, consisting of three persons. 

2nd. One of these persons, who, is very God, was crucified, dead and 
buried, ( without body, parts or passions.) 

3d. To reconcile his Father to us, instead (as Paul says, II. Cor. v. 20,) 
of reconciling us to the Father, thus conveying the idea that his Father must 


nfbuchadnezzar’s dream. 


17 


be changed about and made a new creature , in order to be reconciled to poor, 
sinful mortals, who are unchanged. 

4th. This God ( without body, parts or passions) arose from the dead, and 
took upon him his body when he had none. But to cap the climax, he has gone 
to Heaven, there to remain till He comes to Judge the world at the last day. 

Thus contradicting Acts iii. 20, 21 v., where Peter promises that God will 
send him again, at the times of restitution of all things spoken by the Pro¬ 
phets; this restitution will be a long time before the last day , see Rev. xx. 
c. and Zach. xiv. c. 

5th. If he took all things appertaining to the perfection of man’s nature, he 
must have taken blood, and flesh and blood cannot inherit the King don of 
Heaven, sec I. Cor. xv. 50. And if without passions, he is without love, for 
love is the strongest passion existing, and we read that “ God is angry with the 
wicked every day.” Therefore the God set forth in the “ Prayer Book ’’ cannot 
be the God of Israel, for he is a God of love , see I. ep. John, iv. 8. The foregoing 
will equally apply to all who believe in a God, without body,parts or passions - 

Also p. 159. Sprinkling of Infants is observed, (which is nowhere men¬ 
tioned in scripture) and sprinkling Adults, for Baptism, instead of immersion. 
Besides their vain repetitions in their Litany, with their rounds of senseless 
forms, and ceremonies, denying Prophets, the Spiritual gifts, &c. 

Third. Baptist Discipline, chap. ii. p. 17. “ One true and living God, 
without body, parts or passions ,” believe in Baptism of adults by immersion, 
(but not for the remission of sins) in the Lord’s Supper, second coming of 
Christ, resurrection of the dead, judgment, and future rewards and punish¬ 
ments. Some of their doctrine is strongly tinctured with Calvinistic, they 
deny immediate revelation, the spiritual gifts, Prophets, Apostles, the impo¬ 
sition of hands, for the gift of the Holy Ghost, according to Acts viii. 18, 
and xix. 6. 

w Fourth. Presbyterian Confession of Faith, chap. ii. p. 9. “ One living and 
true God, everlasting without body, parts or passions, p. 16. 

“ By the decree of God some men and angels are predestinated unto everlast¬ 
ing destruction ; others to everlasting life, without any foresight of faith, good 
works, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, and the number is so 
certain and definite, that it cannot either be increased or diminished.” Ac¬ 
cording to this Faith, where is the use of their preaching to convert souls ? 
because, if I am an elect, I will be saved any how, and if not I shall be lost, 
let me strive till the day I die. This is universal salvation with vengeance. 

They also believe in sprinkling, or pouring Adults and infants, (yet not 
essential to salvation, p. 123.) The Lord’s Supper, in sanctification, the 
second coming of Christ, the resurection from the dead, a general Judgment, 
and in future reward, only for the elect, and condemnation for all others, but, 
deny revelation, remission of sins, by being buried with Jesus Christ by Bap¬ 
tism, Prophets, Apostles, the Spiritual gifts, the imposition of hands, a literal 
application of the Prophecies, the second Resurrection, &c., neither do they 
teach to observe all things, in obedience to the commands of the Saviour. 
And “ cursed is he that continueth not in all things, written in the Law, to 
do them,” Gal. iii. 10. 

Fifth. Quakers, or Friends. Faith, called Ancient Testimony, page 12. 
Object to the personality of God, (13). Three bear record which we own, 
discard Water Baptism, put no dependance in outward ordinances, believe 
water Baptism was finished when Christ was crucified. In inward revelation, 
2 * 


18 


A DISSERTATION ON 


and that the spirit must move them to speak or remain silent, that women, 
have authority to preach, that the Gospel is preached in every creature by the 
spirit, (37) and to be careful of hearing, or reading, any thing that will tend 
to draw us from the Faith, (41). That the scriptures give no rule, &c., yet 
any thing contrary to them is a delusion, foe., p. 50. They deny the lit¬ 
eral application of the Prophecies, the gathering of Jews, all outward ordi¬ 
nances laid down in the scriptures, the visible advent of Christ, a literal res¬ 
urrection of the body, the Millenial reign, &c., but take them spiritual. But 
is this according to the scriptures, “Show me thy faith without works , and I 
will show thee my faith, by my works.” “ For as the body without the spirit 
is dead, so faith without works is dead, also,” James ii. 18, and 26. Neither 
when we come together are we to remain silent. Hear Paul on the subject. 

“ How is it then brethren ? when ye come together, every one of you hatha 
Psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hatha revelation, hath an interpretation. 
Let all things be done unto edifying.” I. Cor. xiv. 26, And women he says 
must keep silence, and not speak in the Churches, for it is a shame,” do. 34, 
& 35 v. Objection says one, Paul says there were women that laboured with 
him in the Gospel; but how did they labour? Hear him, Titus ii. 4, 5, 
“Teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands and children, 
and to be discreet, and chaste keepers at home,” &c. To wash the saints’ feet, 
lodge strangers, relieve the afflicted, &c., I. Tim. v. 10. Neither can I find 
in scripture any thing said concerning a female Priesthood. 

Sixth. Methodists. Discipline Article ii. p. 8, “ There is but one living 
and true God everlasting, without body or parts” foe., same as the Church of 
England, except passions, believe in repentance, conversion, Baptism of Infants 
and Adults, and that of Three kinds, sprinkling, pouring, or immersion, p. 71) 
In class Meetings, in Mourning Benches , taking their converts on trial, in 
Bishops, Elders, and Deacons, in Sanctification, the coming of Christ, the 
Resurrection from the dead, and in future rewards, and punishments. 

But deny Revelation, Prophecy,the Literal application of the Prophecies, 
and the reign of the Saints on the earth, but believe in a Heaven “ beyond the 
founds of time , and space” Deny the literal gathering of the Jews to 
Palestine, the Building of Jerusalem, the second resurrection, the Gifts Christ 
promised, &e. 

Seventh. German Reformed. Their Faith is Calvinistic Election and 
Predestination. Their Church government and all are essentially the same as 
the Presbyterians (which we have noted) their highest Judicature being a Synod. 

Eighth. Universalists. Faith, By Asher Moore, 1841. Believe in one 
God, the Father, in the Son and in Holy Ghost, (not triune) but separate 
and distinct, in free salvation to all, that Christ died for all, and that he will 
have all to be saved. They teach faith and repentance toward Cod, and in 
the atonement of Jesus Christ, and peace, meekness, candour, and universal 
love to all men; that the wicked will receive a punishment in this life accord¬ 
ing to their crimes, the punishment itself is a mediatorial work, and founded 
upon mercy, that it is the means of humbling, subduing, and finally reconciling 
the sinner to God. 

They do not believe that any of the outward forms (except a few for church 
membership) has any thing to do towards our salvation, neither in a literal 
hell hereafter, that Christ came at the destruction of Jerusalem, and that he 
is never going to corne personal again, and deny the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, 
the imposition of hands, the literal Gathering of the Jews, the Milennial reign 
of the Saints on earth, and a literal resurrection of the body from the-Tomb, foe. 


19 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 

Thus we have before us a Synopsis of the faith of the Orthodox sects 
(Catholics omitted, for they are not considered Orthodox, but that the Pope is 
the man of Sin). And if either one is the Kingdom Daniel spoke of, which one 
is it, and is either one the Church *of Christ. And here let me inquire can¬ 
didly, is God the Author of all these conflicting opinions, divisions and con¬ 
fusions, certainly not, for we read; he is not the “Author of confusion but of 
peace in all churches of the Saints,” 1. Cor. xiv. 33. 

We here see that they are worshipping a God that they have no just con¬ 
ception of, one without body, parts, or passions, a nonentity, a phantom. But- 
gays one, is he not a Spirit, certainly he is a personage of Spirit, power and 
Glory. Paul says there is a spiritual body, I. Cor. xv. 44, and if a body there 
must be parts, for we all know that the whole is composed of parts. Man 
was made in the “ image of God," Gen. i. 27. Christ, was the express 
image of his person , Heb. i. 3. Moses talked with him face to face, Ex. 
xxxiii. 11. The seventy Elders of “Israel saw him" Exd. xxiv 10. Jacob 
saw God face to face and his life was preserved, Gen. xxxii. 30. •• And he 

left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham,” Gen. xvii. 22. 
But says one is he not every where present? Yes, his power and influence 
is every where present, and we behold it manifest wherever we look ; but his 
dwelling place is in heaven. Hear David, “ The Lord is in his holy Temple. 
The Lord’s Throne is in heaven,” Pis. xi. 4. And Stephen when he was 
about to be martyred, saw “ Heaven opened, and Jesus standing on the right 
hand of God," Acts vii. 55. 

We see also three kinds of Baptism, when the Scripture teaches but one, 
(that is to be administered by man,) see Eph. iv. 5. Some believing ono 
thing and some another; some preaching up election, others free salvation; 
some a literal hell fire, others preaehing against it; some preaching Bap¬ 
tism, by immersion, others sprinkling or pouring, and some not believing in 
either one, some sprinkling infants, others condemning it, some preaching a 
literal resurrection of the body, others that it is spiritual; how do all these 
divisions, accord with the scriptures, when they say one Faith, “ and by ono 
Spirit are we all baptized into one body," I Cor. xii. 13. 

Yet there is one thing in which they universally agree, viz: disbelieving 
in Prophets, Apostles, Immediate Revelation from God (only inward), the 
ministering of Angels, Prophecy, Gift of Tongues, &c., and in fact they 
reject nearly all the ancient order of the Church, in the days of the Apostles; 
therefore they have a “ Form of Godliness but deny the power" 

They also deny the literal gathering of the Jews, God’s covenant peoplo 
to Jerusalem, in fulfilment of the Prophecies, see Jer. xxx and xxxi. Also 
Isa. xi. 11 to 16, d'lso Ixv. 19 to 25, Eze. xx- 33 to 38, Amos ix, 14, 15, 
Zach. viii. 20 to 23, &c. The building up of Zion, as a place of refuge 
for the saints of the Most High, when Judgments are poured out upon ths 
wicked, see Joel ii. 32, Isa. lx. Psl. xlviii. 2 to 6. Psl. cii. 13 to 21, &c. 
Also the first resurrection, which will be the Saints, and the reign with 
Christ on Earth a thousand years, called the Sabbath of Creation or Mille¬ 
nium ; refer to those passages of scripture which are positive and literal upon 
the same, thus Rev. xx. 1 to 8. I Thes. iv. 15, 17. To prove the reign will 
be on the earth, refer to Job xix. 23 to 27, Psl. xxxvii. 9, 11, 22, 29, Math, 
v. 9, Rev. v. 9, 10. Also xx. 9. And the Resurrection of the wicked, which 
will take place after the Thousand years, when Death and Hell and the sea 
give up their dead, and they all stand before God, and are judged according to 
the things written in the Book, see Rev. xx. 11 to 15. 


20 


A DISSERTATION ON 


Thus we see those glorious truths are not believed in by any of the fore¬ 
going sects I have mentioned ; and what is the reason 'l they are scripture 
truths; kind reader, I will inform you. They have all sprung directly, or 
indirectly (with few exceptions) from that Impure fountain, viz: the Church 
of Rome, and had their origin in man, built up and conducted by the tenets 
of men without the aid of Revelation, or the Holy Priesthood, the authority 
from God; because, if they were in possession of that, they would certainly 
preach the same doctrine that the Apostles preached, and contend for the 
same blessings ; for it is not reasonable to suppose that God would send men 
1800 years ago, to preach one doctrine, and now send men (without revela¬ 
tion) to preach another, yet he and his law unchangeable, and Paul has pro¬ 
nounced a curse on an Angel from Heaven, if he should preach any doctrine, 
different from what he taught, see Gal, i. 8. 9. 

Who gave those reformers authority to build up Churches, or to adminis¬ 
ter in the ordinance of the Gospel ? Do you suppose, men called of God, 
would ever have his fellow man burnt, because he differed from him in sen¬ 
timent, like Calvin had Servetus; and King Henry VIII. (the originator 
of the Church of England,) who had Tyndall, the first translator of the New 
Testament, burnt at the stake; and was divorced and married three different 
wives, during his life. 

But do not understand me, that I wish, or have a desire to undervalue the 
good that has arisen from the effects of the reformation. I believe there are 
hundreds and thousands, meek humble hearted souls in all the societies I 
have named, who are living up to the best light and knowledge they have. 
John Wesley in his day sought after truth. Speaking of the spiritual 
gifts set in the Church he says, “ they fled not because they were not wanted 
in the church, but the whole world had turned to heathenism, and had nothing 
but a dead form left." Of the Priesthood he says, “ There cannot be shown 
an unbroken chain of Priesthood from the Apostles down to his day ;” but 
he nor any of the rest ever said that God had given them a special revela¬ 
tion, to build up a church. They have a part of the Gospel, but not the 
fullness of it. But as I said before they have been the means of doing much 
good, and they will be rewarded for it. It has paved the way for the 
establishing of the Kingdom Daniel had reference to, that was to be set up 
in the “ latter days ” by the God of heaven, and not by man, and to stand 
forever. 

We have traced the Kingdom set up in the Days of Christ, until we found 
it, in fulfilment of the Prophets, disorganised, its officers martyred, over¬ 
thrown, and Popery erected in its stead ; and we have traced down through 
the reformation and we have not found any yet, that has scarcely a resem¬ 
blance to the one overcome, or the one spoken of by Daniel, which wrn are 
in search after; and if we do find it we shall know it, for it will be organized 
after the ancient order, with all its officers, gifts, blessings, beauty and glory, 
built upon the rock revelation, and to stand forever. 

Now let us investigate some of Prophecies, and see if the Prophets have 
not spoken concerning the Church fleeing into the wilderness, how long she 
was to stay there, and by what means she was to be brought forth. John 
the Revelator, who was banished to the Isle of Patmos by Domitian, about 
A. D. 96. There his Prison became to him a Palace, and there God gave 
him revelation that should cheer and comfort the church through the days of 
her mourning; the first three chapters are taken up with charges concerning 
the seven Churches in Asia. 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 


21 


At the fourth chapter, he says, “A door was opened in heaven, and I 
was shown things that were to be hereafter .” 

Recollect this was about 62 years after the church was first established 
in the days of the Apostles. While wrapt in the visions of God, various 
scenes of. futurity passes before him. In chap. xii. 1, he gives a description 
of the church, represented by a woman, “ Clothed with the sun, the moon 
under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars,” representing 
perhaps the twelve apostles , the moon the changeable things of the world; 
and the sun, the glory of Christ, which adorned her, (v. 6.) He sees her 
flee into the wilderness (t. e. overcome by Antichrist and persecution) where 
a place is prepared of God; where she is nourished for a thousand two 
hundred and three score days, (v. 14) or time, times and half a time.” And 
her child (alluding to the Priesthood perhaps) was caught up to God and hia 
throne; (v. 5.) 

Now if we can find dht when she fled, and how long those days and times 
are, we can know something of the time w’hen she will come out, or be 
reorganized. 

We will all admit, as long as the Priesthood was upon earth, the gifts 
and blessings Christ promised, see Mark, xvi. 17, 18, and I. Cor. xii. 8 to 
10, were in the Church, and when these ceased site fled. 

Dr. Mosheim tells us, that they began to decline in the days of Constan¬ 
tine, and about the year A. D. 570, they were all fled. 

Now by referring to Nutn. xiv. 34, and Eze. iv. 6, the Lord gives a day 
in each instance for a year. Therefore, at that rate, a thousand two hundred 
and three score days, are 1260 years. And a time is 360, times 720, half a 
time 180, making the 1260 years. Thus by adding the 570, to the 1260, 
we have 1830, which is the year she must be organized, according to this. 

John yet continues, while wrapt in his heavenly vision, and contemplating 
things transpiring down through the vista of future ages, sees the time 
and the manner when the Church should be again organized, by the God of 
Heaven, and says Rev. xiv. 6, 7. “ And I saw another Angel Jly in the midst 
of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on ths 
earth and. to every mtion and kindred, and tongue, and people," (v. 7.) “ Say¬ 
ing with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his 
Judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, the sea , 
and the fountains of waters .” As I before observed, John received his 
Revelation about 62 years after the Kingdom was set up in the days of 
Christ, therefore he could not have had reference to that; because it would be 
supeifluous, for an Angel to commit the Gospel unto man, when they had 
it already, which they had in John’s day. 

And has ever one of the sects that has arose from the days of Christ or 
down through the reformation, had the order that was established in the 
Church of Christ in the days of the Apostles? Or ever declared that an 
Angel had committed the Gospel unto them? Certainly not; and recollect 
the proclamation of the Angel that, the “ hour of God's Judgment is come" 
which was not the proclamation in the days of Christ; but “ On earth, peace, 
good will towards man.” So now we have found how this Kingdom was to 
be established, and let us proceed further, and see if we can find one that 
will answer the description that has been set up in the “ Latter Days." 

Joseph Smith, (the founder of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day 
Saints” accoiding to the commands of Almighty God) was born December A. 


22 


A DISSERTATION ON 


D. 1805, m the State of Vermont; sometime after his father removed into 
Ontario County, N. Y.; cultivating the earth was his employment while young. 
Two of the family belonged to the Methodist Church, I believe, his brother 
Hiram, and another, to the Presbyterian. About the year 1822, a great 
revival took place in the Churches in that neighbourhood ; accordingly, Mr. 
Smith’s mind, (who was now in his seventeenth year) was considerably 
wrought upon; he attended their meetings, Methodist in particular. One said 
join our Church; we are right, the others are wrong: another, they are wrong 
and we are right. In this situation, (not knowing which was right, and to 
risk his soul’s salvation on “ hope so, or guess so,” was more than he could 
endure). He commenced reading his Bible, (but his education was very 
limited ; he could just read; and scarce write his name) believing what he 
read ; until he came to the following passage, “ If any lack wisdom let him 
ask of God and it shall he given him , James i. 5. 

This was joy to his soul, it was peace to his troubled spirit; he saw that 
it was his privilege to ask God, and according to his faith to receive; accord¬ 
ingly he retired to a secret grove, not far from his father’s house ; and there, 
day after day, did this youth pour out his soul to God, to know which of the 
sects was right and had the true doctrine, that he might obey the same, and 
become a member of the Church. 

One day while praying, a glorious light er eirled him, his mind was caught 
away from the things of the world, and he was immediately wrapt in a 
heavenly vision. He saw two angelic beings, whose countenances were 
glorious beyond expression, stand before him; they declared themselves to 
be Angels, sent from the Courts of Glory to communicate*to him, that his 
sins were forgiven ; that his prayers were heard; and he was told not to go 
after any of the cccts, tor the whole world , said they, are believing in incorrect 
doctrines; that the authority of the Priesthood had long since been taken 
from the Earth, and they informed him if he was faithful, the true plan of 
salvation should be revealed to him hereafter,” after which they disappeared, 
leaving his mind in peace and tranquility 7 . He reported what he had received, 
and Priests and people, with few exceptions, said he was deluded, that there 
was no such thing as the ministering of Angels, in these days, and not to 
believe a word of it; but he was not to be overcome, he trusted in the 
promises of God. Or.e night while-laying on his bed praying to God for 
some kind messenger to inform him of the right and true way, suddenly a 
light above the brightness of day burst into his room, and immediately he 
was wrapt in a heavenly vision, he saw a personage about the ordinary size 
of man in the middle of the room before him. He was dressed in a white 
flowing robe made fast at the wrists and ancles, and appeared to be without 
seam. He declared himself to be an Angel of God, sent forth to inform him 
that the time had nearly arrived, for the Gospel to be preached in power in 
all the world, as a witness of the coming of Christ, which was near at hand ; 
also that this continent had been inhabited by two distinct races of people; 
the first was called Jaredites, and came directly from the Tower of Babel. 
The second was called Nephites, the descendants of Joseph, who came to 
this land in the days of Zcdikiah, King of Judah, about six hundred years 
before Christ; that they brought with them the Scriptures of the Old Testa¬ 
ment engraved upon Brass Plates down to the days of Jeremiah; that they 
prospered in Arts and Agriculture, had their Prophets among them, who kept 
a History of their proceedings engraved on plates ; that Christ after his cruci¬ 
fixion visited them, chose twelve Apostles, ordained them and gave unto them 


Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. 


23 


his law, and that the Church of Christ was established here, with Prophets, 
Apostles, and the Spiritual Gifts, &,c.; that in the fourth century after Christ, 
they were nearly all destroyed on account of their wickedness, and what 
remained fell into Idolatry; the last Prophet, Moroni, was commanded by 
the Lord to make an abridgement of all their records which he did on Gold 
Plates, and sealed it up by the prayer of faith, with a promise from God that 
it should be preserved, and in the last days be brought forth and go to the 
remnant of their seed; the Indians, said he, of whom are a remnant : and that 
this record was deposited in a hill called by the Nephites Cumorah, not far 
from this place; that the Record was wrote in the reformed Egyptian, and 
that they could not be translated by the wisdom of this generation, but if ho 
was faithful he should be the honored instrument in bringing it forth, and 
translating the same by the “ Urim and Thummim ” that was deposited with 
the Records, and that this Record contained the fulness of the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ in its purity; that the knowledge it contained should go to 
every nation, kindred, tongue, and peopie, and that the Indian and the 
Jew should be brought to a knowledge of Christ by believing and obeying 
the same, and when it comes forth persecution shall rage; your life shall 
be sought after, &c., after which the messenger left him. 

Mr. Smith having been shown in the Vision the place where the Record 
was deposited; accordingly the next morning, 23d day of September, A. D. 
1823, visited the place, and from that time he received more and more in¬ 
formation concerning what he had to do until the year 1827, when he obtained 
the Recods. A hole of sufficient depth had been dug, and a flat stone laid in the 
bottom; then there were four set erect at the outer edges of the bottom stone, 
joined together with some kind of cement, so as to form a Box. On the bottom 
stone was laid a Shield or Breastplate, from that arose three pillars made of 
cement. On the top of these pillars laid the Record, together with the “ Urim 
and Thummim,” the whole not to extend quite even with the top of the side 
stones. Over the whole was placed a crowning stone, a small part of which 
was visible, when he first visited the spot. Each plate was about six by 
eight inches, and as thick as common tin, and on each side beautifully en¬ 
graved, and filled with black cement, the whole being about six inches in 
thickness, and put together with three rings, running through the whole, a 
part of which was sealed. The ynsealed part has been translated ; and con¬ 
tains the Book of Mormon; and living witnesses, who saw the plates and hefted 
them have borne testimony to the same. In the year 1830, after the Book 
was translated and published, the Angel of God according to promise con¬ 
ferred the Holy Priesthood upon Mr. Smith, and gave unto him command¬ 
ments to Baptize with w^ater in the name of Jesus, and build up the Church 
of Christ; which accordingly was organized April 6th, A. D. 1830, with 
six members. 

We believe in one true and living God, (not without body, parts or pas¬ 
sions) but a personage of Spirit and Glory, in Jesus Christ his Son, and in 
the Holy Ghost, which bears record of the Father and Son in humble repent¬ 
ance, in Baptism by immersion , by those holding the authority for the remis¬ 
sion of sins, the imposition of hands, and in the gifts of the Holy Ghost; 
but discard infant Baptism and Sprinkling as an invention of man ; believe 
in Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons ; 
in Revelations, Visions, and administering of Angels, Tongues, the interpre¬ 
tations and Healings according to our faith, in fact all the gifts Christ has 
promised, for we are “ to live by every word that proceedeth from his mouth.” 


24 


A DISSERTATION ON NEBUCK - 


o i/a£iAin« 


In the literal gathering of the Jews, the building up of Jerusalem, the 
gathering of the Saints, the building of Zion, the second coming of Christ, 
the Restoration, the destruction of the wicked, the first and second resurrec¬ 
tion, the Millenial reign of the Saints on earth one thousand years, afler that 
the Judgment of the wicked. We are firm believers in the Bible from 
Genesis to Revelations, and that it is God’s law written to Judah, and in the 
Book of Mormon as God’s law written to Ephraim, see Ilosea, viii. 12, also 
Eze. xxxvii. 16 to 27. We also believe in virtue, knowledge, temperance, 
patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity, to visit the widow and the 
fatherless in their affliction, to feed, clothe and lodge our enemies, when they 
stand in need, to search after truth and embrace the same. That the Judg¬ 
ments of God as Earthquakes, Hailstorms, Pestilences; Wars, &c., are 
hanging over the nations, that the signs of the times bespeak the speedy 
coming of the son of man, that it is a day of warning, and not of many 
words, that there are people on the globe that will live to see the fulfilment 
of these things. 

Thus candid reader, I have given you a Synopsis of the Faith and organi¬ 
zation of the Church of the People called Mormons, and is it not according 
to the ancient pattern; and have we not found the kingdom spoken of by 
Daniel that we have been so long in search after? I think we have, for it 
has been set up by the God of Heaven; and organized in the year 1830, 
according to computation heretofore made. And John says when he saw 
the Angel having the Gospel, the proclamation was, that the “hour of 
God’s Judgment was come.” 

Says one how long is that. Let ns investigate,Peter says “one day with 
the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years, as one day.” And 
there are 24 hours in a day, and 24 divided into 1000 makes about 41 
years to the hour, and 14 years has passed since the Gospel was committed ; 
take 14 from 41 leaves 27 years for the winding up scene. 

And for these glorious truths which we firmly believe, yea, verily know, havt 
many sealed their testimony with their blood, which has crimsoned the Ame¬ 
rican soil, and many a widow been left to mourn and many a helpless orphan 
shed a tear; many has been the mother that has had to flee from a burning 
house, and a savage mob, through the snow, over the burnt Praries, leaving 
their footsteps marked with the blood of their lacerated feet, and when nearly 
exhausted, sat down, and gazed upon the livid lips of her Fatherless infant, 
pressing it to her bosom, trying to warm its freezing limbs, as it w.as sinking 
under the cold hand of death; while her crystal tears ran freely, and freezing 
perhaps as they fell. These are some of the scenes this Church has waded 
through in noted Missouri and Illinois, for the testimony of Jesus. 

But all the combined powers of earth and hell will never be able to over¬ 
come it. It is never to be left to other people, but to stand forever. In the 
short space of fourteen years, with everything to contend against, has it 
gathered in its train about two hundred thousand souls. 

The Elders have been over the United States, and Canada; in England, 
Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Turkey, Jerusalem, Egypt, East Indies, 
Australasia, Sandwich Islands; and Prince Albert, and Queen Victoria, 
together with the poor Indian in the forest, have heard the sound, and its 
course is still onward, and it will continue to roll, until the kingdoms of this 
world become the Kingdoms of our God and his Christ. AMEN. 

W. I. A, 



